Over 1,000 Complaints of Unjustified Price Rises Filed with Tax Authorities in Four Days

More than 1,000 complaints about unjustified price increases for goods and services have been submitted to Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency (NRA) across the country in just four days. The tax authority has also launched its routine inspections at winter resorts, checking shops, car parks and restaurants in Borovets, Pamporovo and Bansko in a single day.

According to the NRA, the total value of fines imposed for inflated prices of goods and services is close to 200,000 leva.

The total value of the fines imposed for inflated prices of goods and services is nearly 200 thousand leva, the NRA explained.

“We are currently applying the minimum fine, which is 5,000 leva, but as you know it can reach up to 100,000 leva,” said Anna Mitova, Director of the Communications Directorate at the NRA. “We will continue to monitor traders, especially those we have identified as acting in bad faith.”

In Borovets, inspections began in retail outlets and are set to continue in hotels and car parks. The NRA also reminded businesses and consumers that the period of dual circulation of the lev and the euro will not be extended.

“This period will not be extended. It lasts one month — until the end of January,” Mitova said. “In most countries, particularly those that adopted the euro more recently than us, the period was even shorter — around 15 days.”

Checks were also carried out in commercial premises in Bansko. In addition to tax compliance, inspectors monitored for unjustified price increases and whether receipts displayed the purchase amount in euros, in leva and the fixed exchange rate.

“The inspections under the law on the introduction of the euro in Bulgaria began very recently, so we cannot yet provide detailed statistics,” said Lilyana Dimitrova from the NRA’s Communications Directorate. “However, it is a fact that out of the thousands of checks carried out, only 7% revealed unjustified price increases. This shows that most traders are acting correctly and complying with the law.”

In Pamporovo, business owners appeared unconcerned by the inspections.

Inspectors also checked cash balances and whether receipts were being issued.

“What we will be comparing — along with our colleagues from the Consumer Protection Commission — are prices in January, after the introduction of the new currency, with prices as of 31 December, when we were already in the peak season,” said Bozhana Ilieva from the NRA’s Communications Directorate.

Tax authorities will also monitor whether any price rounding is carried out in favour of consumers. The earliest results from the latest inspections are expected to be available within a week.